HeliArtist 325 Carbon Scale Rotor Blades on a Penta Head?

Has anyone tried these blades, on a 5 blade rotor head, using high head speed (~2200-2350 rpm).

Did you have success or failure with stock belt tail gearing?

Did you have success or failure with 450 Pro Torque Tube gearing?

I am currently testing the TFModel unweighted symmetrical scale blades (29g), on a 450 Pro frame.
Running at 2350 rpm, the tail is just barely holding, it feels like rate mode during forward flight maneuvers.
During hover, it will wind vane when there is wind present.

The HeliArtist scale blades weigh 15g, vs. 29g of the TFModel scale blades.
So, I am thinking that the tail authority will improve with the lighter weight blades?

I have a set of 4, but will have to order a the minimum set of 3 just to have a 5th blade.

The bottom line is, I want stick with using a Torque Tube drive and stock 2 blade tail, so a gear mod is not an option.

Tail authority wont improve due to the weight, but it may due to airfoil efficiency. IIRC I logged the HA blades at about 1-1.5 amp less current in flight compared to the SM blades at the same headspeed using 4 blades, which should translate to less tail torque needed to keep the heli in place.

I'd hate to say it though, drag vs. tail ratio might still kill the project, probably will need a tail ratio regearing or a quad tail

@ SidewaysLS4 - I'm pretty sure that if I put the weighted TFModel scale blades on, that the added weight will induce more counter torque and more current draw.

Anyway, I did a few test flights today, and have achieved better tail authority today, than yesterday.

I did find that my tail rotor blades leading edge, at center stick, were pointing CCW. It was originally set about 8* CW, before I put it into the fuselage.
After correcting the tail rotor, mid stick pitch, the heli no longer drifted CCW or wind vaned while hovering.

Tail authority is now much better, but the tail will still let loose when flying sideways left or backwards. Giving full collective, the tail holds, but does move a little.

If I could find some tail blades that are longer than the Pro blades, I think it would give me more solid tail authority.

I think that I'm going to switch to the Carbon Fiber scale blades, because the
flexible scale blades are causing some control lag and ill affects.

The coning of the flexible scale blades, induces control lag as the blade coning transitions during maneuvers. This appears to causes the e-stab system to sometimes over correct. For example, during a descending forward flight, when I transition to a climbing forward flight, the heli will suddenly jump up a little.

BTW... for this:
"The coning of the flexible scale blades, induces control lag as the blade coning transitions during maneuvers. This appears to causes the e-stab system to sometimes over correct. For example, during a descending forward flight, when I transition to a climbing forward flight, the heli will suddenly jump up a little."

Just asking...is your blade to swash plate linkages a straight line or slanted?

All logging was done at the same 1650 headspeed. One would think that nearly doubling the rotating weight when comparing the 50gr/ea blades to the 25gr/ea blades would result in an increase in amperage. But the log shows roughly identical amperage draw among the blades tested. Deriving a wattage number from these logs would show a similar pattern reported in the amperage logs, showing that the work done by the drive system would be require the same tail countertorque strength of the tail while running the 25gr blades or the 50gr blades.

Thus, any counter torque requirements needed from the tail will be due to drag of the rotating assembly (increasing at a square of speed), and blade pitch requirements to lift the heli adding to the drag of the main rotor.

The only added power needed related to the heavier rotating assembly would be in starting it in motion. Once up to speed, drag is the variable which affects it.

I hope this clears up some of the often repeated message board confusion regarding this subject

Images

BTW... for this:
"The coning of the flexible scale blades, induces control lag as the blade coning transitions during maneuvers. This appears to causes the e-stab system to sometimes over correct. For example, during a descending forward flight, when I transition to a climbing forward flight, the heli will suddenly jump up a little."

Just asking...is your blade to swash plate linkages a straight line or slanted?

For your tail blades, u can try using Mini-Titan's tail blades instead. It has more surface area than the pro version. U might need to cut off some excess material at the edge of the mounting portion.

SH

I happen to have a set of those, and will give them a try.
No trimming was needed, but I did need to use a shim, in the blade grips.
I had some .015 shims, from my Radix main rotor blades, and trimmed the shims to fit the tail rotor blade grips.

Did you modify the Tail gear ratio? No !!What is your head speed?1800 (with a slower head speed, your tail rotor is not pleasantWhat is you maximum pitch?I don't know... 9°?? I don't like 3D pitch curvesWhat tail rotor blades do you use?Std align... (you need a big tail rotor blades)

Did you modify the Tail gear ratio? No !!What is your head speed?1800 (with a slower head speed, your tail rotor is not pleasantWhat is you maximum pitch?I don't know... 9°?? I don't like 3D pitch curvesWhat tail rotor blades do you use?Std align... (you need a big tail rotor blades)